Crying Towel
by Sixty Five Roses
Summary: When Jack lets intimate details about their sexlife slip to Andy at an event, Sharon has to deal with uncomfortable memories of their married life. Will Andy call it quits or stay with her?


She couldn't believe he's done it to her again. It probably shouldn't have come as a surprise, but Jack Raydor always managed to surprise her, in the worst way possible. Her hands were shaking, and she looked at Andy whose jaw tightened dangerously and nostrils flared in fury. His face was flush and she immediately thought about his blood pressure. She had to get him away from Jack before he would either punch him or faint. She grabbed Andy's arm and pulled him away. Luckily, he didn't resist and followed her, muttering an angry "Screw you, Jack" before he trailed after Sharon to the other side of the room.

"He's an asshole," he informed her as they went out of the venue where they met Jack. Had Sharon known he'd be there, she'd consider not attending the event she was invited to. Although she knew Taylor and Chief Pope would probably not be happy with her refusal to attend.

"I know," she sighed and leaned against the decorated balustrade. She turned away from him and looked into the night. Her stomach ached as if Jack's words punched her. She knew the things he said were not true, or maybe they were partially true, but not to the extent Jack claimed they were. His words echoed in her ears and made her head spin. _You've obviously not been intimate with my wife, Andy. You wouldn't have stayed with her if you were. She's beautiful and intelligent, I'll give her that, but unfortunately she's completely non-functional when things start getting warmer, if you know what I mean._

It was true that she and Jack always had trouble in the bedroom, ever since they first consummated their marriage. She always thought that it was due to their lack of experience prior to their wedding day. It wasn't a great excuse to explain the fact that they've had issues in the bedroom for years later, and Jack to eventually found other women who could satisfy his needs better than Sharon could. She didn't agree with his cheating, and during the first years of their marriage, she longed for his touch and for the intimacy, but the only times he seemed to be attracted to her were when he was drunk, and these were the times she least wanted him to touch her.

"Do you wanna get out of here?" Andy's voice drew her out of her musings. She turned to him and wrapped her arms around herself.

"Yes, I think it's time we call it a night," she tried to maintain her composure, but her insides were storming.

"I was thinking maybe we can head over to my place. We need to have a serious talk," Andy said.

"Look, if sex is the endgame for us –" Sharon began to protest.

"Not here, and not now. Let's just go to my place and talk about this in private, please." Sharon sighed, but nodded slowly. "Wait here, I'll go get our coats," he said and went back into the venue.

He returned a few minutes later and gently placed her coat over her shoulders. Sharon didn't realize how cold she was feeling until the inner lining of her wool coat touched her skin. The valet brought Andy's car and they went inside.

"You're planning to break up with me, aren't you?" she said when Andy ran the first red light.

"What even made you think that, Sharon?" Andy reached for her hand, but she pulled it away.

"Jack wasn't exactly wrong about what he said," Sharon admitted, keeping her eyes on the road, even though Andy was the driver.

"What Jack said is not a factor in our relationship, Sharon. Jack is jealous and he'll use every chance he sees you to try and humiliate you or expose any dirty little secrets you may have," Andy's voice was angry and soothing at the same time.

"I couldn't have sex with him, Andy," Sharon admitted quietly. "I wanted to; I was attracted to him, but every time we slept together, I started crying and couldn't stop." She felt tears filling her eyes and even though she tried to stop them, they started rolling down her face.

"Why did you cry?" Andy asked.

"I don't know. I loved him so much, and I wanted him so much, I just couldn't get over the urge to cry. Jack called me a whino. He hated when I did it."

"So what you're really saying is that you craved the physical and emotional connection so much that you cried, and that's why Jack decided that you were non-functional in bed?" Andy asked. Sharon nodded slowly and sniffled. "Sharon, in most relationships sex is the activity where we are in the most vulnerable state our significant other will ever see us. Getting emotional and crying is a normal reaction." Sharon sniffled again and wiped her tears with the tips of her fingers. "The problem was never with you. Jack was obviously not capable of dealing with a deep level of emotion. Maybe it was hard for him to feel loved with such intensity. Or maybe he was feeling guilty about something. We'll never really know." He reached for her hand again and entwined his fingers with hers over the driver console.

"How about you?" Sharon asked.

"I'm not really feeling guilty about anything as far as our relationship is concerned. And while sometimes I have to blink twice to make sure I'm not dreaming we're dating, I feel comfortable being loved by you," Andy said.

"Are you comfortable with our old-fashioned dating?"

"I am comfortable with whatever makes you comfortable, Sharon," Andy said. "I will never force you into something you're not ready to do, and I will take whatever you are willing to give and be thankful for it."

"Thank you," she whispered and felt new tears rolling down her face again.

"I don't want to scare you off, Sharon, but I love you. Not for your body, not for what you're like in bed. I love you because you're smart and funny, you care about me, and you cheer me up when I'm feeling down. You have a great taste in movies and music, and most of all, you're an angel. You have the purest heart I've ever seen. And if someone cannot deal with the way you love them, then they simply don't deserve your love," Andy's voice was emotional, and Sharon never heard him so close to tears as she did now.

"Can you please stop the car?" she asked. Andy nodded quickly and pulled by the side of the road. Before he managed to utter a single word, he felt her lips on his and her tears rolling down her cheeks against his skin. "I love you, Andy Flynn," she said breathlessly when she pulled away. "I love you, I love you so much." Her arms snaked around his neck and pulled him close to her body. "Thank you for being patient with me; I know it must be tiring sometimes."

"Nothing about you is tiring, Sharon. Every moment I get to spend with you is blissful. Sex is not everything, and I'm sure, if we work on this relationship, then we will get to that point too, and it will be a great experience for the both of us." He smiled at her, and Sharon felt her lips curving upwards as well. She couldn't express in words how full her heart felt whenever he was around, and how just being next to him, kissing him and holding his hand made her skin tingle. She closed her eyes and sniffled again.

"I have something to give you," Andy said and opened the glove compartment. He pulled out a box of Kleenex and handed it to her. Sharon wasn't sure if she wanted to laugh or cry. A box of tissues was definitely the worst gift in the world, but when it came from Andy Flynn, it was the most romantic gesture in the world.

THE END

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